This creamy lemon butter chicken recipe is an easy weeknight dinner that’s become a real favorite for my family, and for reader’s families too! Juicy chicken thighs are cooked to tender perfection in a flavorful lemon and garlic cream sauce, then finished with fresh spinach. It’s cooked all in one pan for simplicity, and it’s packed with bright flavor!
I absolutely love one pot chicken recipes like this, because it makes cooking and cleanup so much easier. I start by making the creamy lemon sauce on the stovetop, then add the lemon butter chicken thighs to the skillet and bake everything in the oven. It comes out so tasty, and the citrusy lemon flavor is just perfect!
What’s in this Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken recipe?
The lemon sauce for this baked chicken, made with heavy cream, is the star of the show! A few other simple, inexpensive ingredients is all you need.
- Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the most flavorful results. Boneless thighs work, but you’ll need to reduce the cooking time in the oven.
- Lemon Pepper: This adds a bright, peppery flavor to the chicken.
- Butter: Salted butter lends great flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves, or garlic paste, for the lemon sauce.
- Chicken Broth: This helps fill out the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: This is key to the silky, creamy consistency of the lemon butter sauce! You can use half and half, but the sauce won’t be quite as creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese: For the best flavor and consistency, use freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Lemon Juice: I always recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice over anything from a bottle, especially when it’s such a key ingredient like it is here.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme creates a subtle herbaceous flavor. Use it as a garnish as well to really send this dish over the top.
- Baby Spinach: Fresh spinach is preferred over canned or frozen.
Variations to Try
Craving a more intense lemon butter flavor with this chicken recipe? I’ve had success sprinkling in some fresh lemon zest–either with the rest of the seasonings, or on top of the chicken as a garnish. You can also mix in some extra greens, like kale and/or arugula, along with the spinach if you really want to enhance the nutrients in this dish.
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How to Store and Reheat
To store, let leftover lemon butter chicken thighs and sauce cool to room temperature. Then store everything together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium heat, until warmed through. Stir in a splash of heavy cream as it warms up to get the lemon sauce back to a creamy consistency.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cream sauce won’t hold up well once frozen and thawed.
Notes and Tips
- I recommend using a cast iron skillet or another oven-safe pan to make this a one-pot dish, so you can move it from the stovetop to the oven. If you don’t have one, simply transfer the chicken and lemon sauce to a baking dish at Step 10, then cook in the oven.
- The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F; but because this is dark meat, I recommend cooking it to 170-175°F for the juiciest results.
- I usually serve these chicken thighs with some form of rice or pasta to help absorb all of the extra lemony, garlicky cream sauce!
Top Reader Reviews
- “I made the recipe and my family loved it! My daughter said she never rated anything this good. I don’t cook and this was soo easy to make and delicious. I will definitely make it again!” – Olga
- “What an awesome recipe! Served this for dinner and it has quickly become a new family favorite recipe in our home! Looking forward too serving this again later in the week!” – Beth
Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 3 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 3 cloves minced garlic or 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
- 5 ounces baby spinach one bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl and add salt and lemon pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.4 chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- Heat a medium/large skillet (oven safe) over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt, making sure the entire base of the skillet is coated.3 tablespoons salted butter
- Add the chicken, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and sear other side. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Return skillet to the heat and add additional 1 tablespoon butter. Allow to melt, stirring and deglazing the pan.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.3 cloves minced garlic
- Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan, lemon juice, and thyme. Stir to fully combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.½ cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Allow sauce to thicken for 5 minutes and then stir in spinach leaves.5 ounces baby spinach
- Stir to wilt leaves slightly but not fully.
- Add chicken back to skillet and bake the entire pan in the oven for 25 minutes, or until internal chicken temperature reaches 165°F.
- Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme. Serve over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or alone. Enjoy!
Notes
How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs Step by Step
Season the Chicken Thighs: Preheat oven to 400°F. Then place 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a bowl, and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper. Toss everything to fully coat the chicken in the spices, then set them aside.
Melt the Butter: Heat a medium-large, oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salted butter and let it fully melt, making sure the entire base of the skillet is coated.
Brown the Chicken: Add the seasoned chicken skin-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown; then flip and sear the other side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Deglaze and Cook Garlic: Return the skillet to the heat and add another 1 tablespoon of salted butter. Let it fully melt, stirring and deglazing the pan (scraping up any browned bits) at the same time. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Make the Lemon Cream Sauce: Next, stir in ½ cup of low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup of heavy cream, ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves. Stir to fully combine ingredients, and bring the sauce to a boil; then reduce to a simmer, and allow it to thicken for about 5 minutes.
Add the Spinach: Place 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach leaves in the cream sauce, then stir to wilt leaves slightly, but not fully.
Bake the Chicken: Place the chicken thighs directly in the lemon cream sauce, place the entire pan in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165-175°F.
Serve: Garnish the baked chicken dish with lemon slices and fresh thyme if desired. Then serve over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes!
I accidentally thawed drums instead of thighs, but it worked fine, I will do thighs next time. The recipe was excellent, I put too much broth in so I did have to add a little corn starch to thicken it, but was my fault but did make a gravy so I was not unhappy 🙂
That still sounds delicious! I’m glad it worked out and you loved it so much!
I made the recipe and I and my family loved it! My daughter said , she never rated anything this good
I don’t cook and this was soo easy to make and delicious . I will definitely make it again
Thank you
Yay! Happy to hear that, Olga!
This was absolutely delicious!!!! I made quinoa to go with it and it was gone in an hour. Thank you so much for this recipe
I love the addition!
I was looking forward to this dish but the sauce never thickened. I did double it, can you tell me what I’ll need to do next time to get the sauce to thicken? (smells fantastic)
You will want to make sure to bring it to a boil and after let it thicken for at least five minutes!
Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
You can definitely give it a shot!
My family loves this recipe, mostly me! Is it okay to use a baking dish in place of the skillet and if so is there a difference in oven heat and bake time?
I personally haven’t done it like this. Just make sure it’s cooked all the way through!
This is so delicious!!!! I roasted spaghetti squash to use instead of pasta…it was truly a hit.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Natalie!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was absolutely delicious. ,
My husband was worried about it tasting to “lemony” but was very surprised it wasn’t. Will definitely make this again.
Thanks for stopping by, Karen!
My whole family of six loved this dish, including my picky eaters! Next time I will double it so we can have some leftovers. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Mia!!
This recipe is so good and easy to make. I made it awhile back, my husband went back for seconds. I told my sister about it( she was having our brother and his wife for dinner) they all loved it. Its a keeper
Thanks for sharing, Denise!